Today's Defense Pulse
U.S. Treasury expands sanctions on Iran-linked shipping network
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced a new sanctions round targeting a global network of shipping firms, tanker operators and intermediaries tied to Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical trades. Entities in Hong Kong, the UAE, India, Qatar, Singapore, China, Liberia and the Marshall Islands were added to the Specially Designated Nationals list.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Disciplined Growth Acquisition Corp raises $150M in IPO
Cellula Robotics, Metron Forge 10-Year Partnership to Advance Next-Gen AUVs
Cellula Robotics and Metron have signed a decade‑long agreement to co‑develop autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) systems for the U.S. defense market. The deal merges Cellula’s commercial‑off‑the‑shelf, long‑endurance AUV platforms with Metron’s mission‑autonomy software and operational expertise, emphasizing a modular, open‑architecture approach that can incorporate third‑party sensors and payloads. The partnership promises faster fielding, sustained support, and adaptability to evolving Navy requirements, building on three years of prior collaboration and a recent AUV prototype contract awarded to Cellula.
Why Cyber Defence Is Like an Onion
Barney de Villiers, security director at payments startup Stitch, will unveil a cyber‑security adaptation of the military Survivability Onion at the Cape Town ITWeb Security Summit on 26 May 2026. The model emphasizes eliminating unnecessary systems to shrink the attack...
Hellscape Taiwan: Drones, Deterrence, and the Future of Asymmetric Defense
The Irregular Warfare Podcast episode, anchored in the CNAS report “Hellscape for Taiwan,” argues that Taiwan can deter a Chinese amphibious assault by turning the 100‑mile Strait into an unmanned hellscape. Cheap, expendable drones, autonomous maritime systems and mobile air‑defense...
Typosquatting Is No Longer a User Problem. It's a Supply Chain Problem
Typosquatting has evolved from mistyped URLs into a supply‑chain threat, with AI‑generated look‑alike domains embedded in trusted third‑party scripts. Malicious npm and PyPI uploads surged 156 % YoY, enabling campaigns to launch in under ten minutes. The December 2025 Trust Wallet Chrome‑extension breach,...
Lithuanian President and PM Sheltered as Drone Alert Near Belarus Raises NATO Tensions
Lithuania’s military sounded an emergency alert after detecting drone activity near the Belarus border, prompting President Gitanas Nausėda and Prime Minister Inga Ruginė to seek shelter and the temporary closure of Vilnius Airport. The incident, the first of its kind in the capital...
Cuba Gets 300 Suicide Drones Amid Global Surge, Taiwan Orders Rise
Cuba has reportedly taken delivery of more than 300 low‑cost, one‑way suicide drones, and Taiwan is said to be accelerating its procurement of similar systems. The influx highlights a booming market for inexpensive unmanned weapons that could reshape regional security...
GE Aerospace Wins US Air Force Contract to Advance GE426 Engine for Autonomous Platforms
GE Aerospace announced a contract with the U.S. Air Force to complete the preliminary design review of its new GE426 engine, a propulsion system built for medium‑thrust autonomous collaborative platforms. The deal adds a high‑value government customer to GE’s defense...
Alexander Backs Scottish Defence Industry at DPRTE
Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander addressed the DPRTE Scottish Defence Procurement and Supply Chain Summit, outlining the UK government's plan to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and 3% in the next parliament. He highlighted...
Webworm: New Burrowing Techniques
ESET’s 2025 analysis reveals that the China‑aligned APT group Webworm has expanded its toolkit with two novel backdoors—EchoCreep, which leverages Discord, and GraphWorm, which uses Microsoft Graph API via OneDrive—for command‑and‑control. The group has moved its targeting from Asia toward...
Royal Navy Tests Killer Drone-Helicopter Team in Norway
The Royal Navy’s 700X Squadron paired Wildcat helicopters with Puma drones for a three‑week fjord exercise in Norway’s Exercise Tamber Shield. The drills tested fast‑attack boat engagements, simulated missile threats, and aerial target interceptions, while a parallel mesh‑network trial at...
Two More AH-64E Apaches Delivered to Australian Army
Two Boeing AH‑64E Apache helicopters arrived in Australia, raising the Army's fleet to six aircraft. The deliveries are part of the $4.5 billion Project LAND 4503, which will provide a total of 29 Apaches by 2029, replacing the aging Eurocopter Tiger. The program...
NATO Eastern Deterrence Strategy Takes Shape Around ‘Autonomous Zone’
NATO is building an autonomous zone on its eastern flank, linking sensors, drones and long‑range fires to detect and strike Russian forces before a conflict escalates. The concept, part of the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative (EFDI), was demonstrated during the...
Are Counter-Drone Systems for Dismounted Troops Emerging as the Next Procurement Battle?
The rise of small drones and loitering munitions is forcing militaries to protect foot soldiers as much as fixed installations. At the Modern Day Marine expo, US Marine Corps officers highlighted the need for a layered counter‑uncrewed aerial system (CUAS)...
Bath Iron Works Starts Fabrication of New Flight III Arleigh Burke Destroyer
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works began fabricating the future USS J. William Middendorf (DDG‑138), the latest Flight III Arleigh Burke‑class destroyer for the U.S. Navy. The ceremonial steel‑cutting took place on May 19 at the shipyard’s Structural Fabrication Facility, with Frances Middendorf,...
The Navy Needs Precise Mass and Here Is How to Get There
The U.S. Navy faces a shrinking fleet—projected at 283 ships by 2027, well below the 355‑ship NDAA target—while confronting growing threats from China and Iran. To restore deterrence, the blog advocates a shift toward medium autonomous warships built in yacht‑yard...
Boeing Wins $397M Deal to Build Chinook Helicopters for Korea and Spain
Boeing secured a $397 million contract expansion, bringing the total value of its CH‑47F Block I Chinook production deal for South Korea and Spain to $794 million. The helicopters will be built at Boeing’s Ridley Park, Pennsylvania plant and are scheduled for delivery by...
India’s DRDO Hails Successful Trials of ULPGM-V3 Counter-Drone System Ignoring Key Lessons From Ukraine War: OPED
India’s Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) announced on May 19 that its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile‑V3 (ULPGM‑V3) has cleared final development trials in both air‑to‑ground and air‑to‑air modes. The loitering munition, built entirely within India’s defence supply...
Machine Overmatch: What Salt Typhoon Reveals About China’s Data-Centric Intelligence Strategy
The article argues that China is moving from traditional, “exquisite” espionage to a data‑centric intelligence model dubbed “machine overmatch.” By exploiting cyber campaigns such as Salt Typhoon, Beijing harvests massive operational telemetry and metadata, allowing AI‑driven ecosystem mapping that can simulate...
Leonardo to Deliver Combat Systems for Kuwait’s Al-Dorra Missile Boat Program
Leonardo has secured a €320 million (≈ $350 million) contract with EDGE Group’s Naval Arm and Abu Dhabi Ship Building to supply next‑generation combat systems for Kuwait’s Al‑Dorra missile boat program, specifically the Falaj 3 configuration. The deal continues a 20‑year partnership that has...
Israeli MoD Orders SMASH Hopper Remote-Controlled Weapon Stations To Fight Drone Menace
Smart Shooter signed a contract with the Israeli Ministry of Defense to deliver SMASH Hopper remote‑controlled weapon stations. The base order is worth about NIS 6.7 million (~$1.9 million) with options that could raise the total to NIS 14.6 million (~$4.1 million). The lightweight, portable system...
S. Korea Military Begins Formal Procedures to Acquire Nuclear-Powered Submarines
South Korea’s navy has formally submitted a request to the Joint Chiefs of Staff to begin a nuclear‑powered submarine program, outlining desired capabilities, numbers and deployment timelines. The United States has already signaled approval and will assist with fuel‑sourcing arrangements...
Ukrainians Tricked Out Their Long-Range Exploding Drones to Unleash Rocket Fire on Russian Air Defenses
Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces have equipped their long‑range FP‑1/FP‑2 attack drones with rocket pods carrying up to eight cheap unguided rockets per aircraft. The modification lets the drones launch rockets from wing‑mounted pods while preserving the 132‑pound warhead for high‑value...
China Confirms It Will Buy 200 Boeing Jets After Trump-Xi Summit
China has confirmed a purchase of 200 Boeing jets following President Donald Trump’s summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The agreement includes U.S. guarantees for engine parts and components, and both sides will work to extend the existing tariff truce...
Why Mexico’s Cartels Are So Hard to Defeat
On Feb. 22 Mexican forces killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, in a raid in Tapalpa. President Claudia Sheinbaum framed the operation as a political win, highlighting enhanced intelligence cooperation with the United States and...
Did US Restrictions Sink Malaysia’s US$147 Million Norway Missile Deal?
Norway withdrew export licences for a naval missile system intended for Malaysia, a deal valued at roughly $147 million. Analysts attribute the revocation to U.S. restrictions on components supplied by American firms that are integral to the missile. The episode underscores...
UK to Inject Nearly £6 Billion Into GCAP 6th-Gen Fighter Program as Japan Issues Ultimatum Over Delays
The United Kingdom is set to allocate roughly £6 billion (about $7.6 billion) to the Global Air Combat Program (GCAP), a sixth‑generation fighter effort shared with Japan and Italy. The funding is intended to secure a long‑term contract for Edgewing, the program’s...
Japan Plans Island Drone Deployment to Monitor Chinese Naval Activity
Japan will station long‑range MQ‑9B SeaGuardian surveillance drones on Iwo Jima and Chichijima, with supporting mobile radars, to monitor Chinese naval movements beyond the first island chain. The drones, capable of over 30 hours aloft and equipped with AIS and anti‑submarine...
‘Everybody Is Going Underground’: CENTCOM Head Calls for New Tech to Hit Buried Targets
U.S. Central Command head Adm. Brad Cooper told the House Armed Services Committee that the war in Iran is forcing the military to focus on underground and hardened targets. He called for additional funding for electronic warfare, cutting‑edge counter‑UAS capabilities,...
India’s 114 Rafale Deal and France’s Structural Leverage Problem
India’s Air Force has moved its Rafale F4/F5 request for proposal into the final bureaucratic stage ahead of a June 2026 visit by Prime Minister Modi and IAF Chief AP Singh to France. Dassault aims to sign a $36‑40 billion contract in...
Congressional Report on Operation Epic Fury Lists 42 U.S. Aircraft Damaged or Destroyed
The Congressional Research Service released an independent tally of U.S. aircraft damaged or destroyed during Operation Epic Fury, counting 42 airframes. The list covers 24 MQ‑9 Reapers, seven KC‑135 tankers, four F‑15E Strike Eagles, two MC‑130J Commando IIs and single...
The Military Value of the Moon
The article outlines how the Moon is becoming a pivotal military asset, offering high‑ground space‑domain awareness, in‑situ propellant production, and strategic control of Lagrange points. It details the technical challenges of cislunar navigation, latency, and infrastructure needs, while highlighting ongoing...
Pakistan’s Saudi Deployment Reveals a New Gulf Security Reality
Pakistan has deployed roughly 8,000 troops, a JF‑17 fighter squadron, drone units and a Chinese‑origin HQ‑9 air‑defence system to Saudi Arabia under a confidential mutual‑defence pact signed in 2025. The move, reported by Reuters, signals a sizable military contribution far...
Navy Commissions Final Littoral Combat Ship as Controversial Program Comes to an End
The U.S. Navy commissioned USS Cleveland (LCS 31), marking the final Freedom‑variant Littoral Combat Ship and effectively closing a two‑decade program plagued by cost overruns and reliability problems. The ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, highlighted the ship’s entry into active service and its...
SDA Director Drops ‘Acting’ Label and Adds All Missile Warning to Portfolio
After eight months serving as acting chief, Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo was confirmed as the permanent director of the Space Development Agency and appointed as the Space Force’s portfolio acquisition executive for all missile‑warning and tracking programs. The dual role supports...
US Plans to Shrink Forces Available to NATO During Crises, Sources Say
The Trump administration is set to tell NATO allies that it will shrink the pool of U.S. forces available under the NATO Force Model for major crises. The move follows recent announcements to cut roughly 5,000 troops from Europe and...
US Blockade of Iran Is Tighter than It Seems, Washington Think Tanks Finds
A Washington‑based think tank, the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), updated its assessment of the U.S. maritime blockade on Iran, cutting the number of vessels that breached the restriction from 27 to 12. The revision follows deeper...
Dispatch From Bucharest: NATO’s Center of Gravity Is Shifting Eastward
The Bucharest Nine and Nordic Allies summit in Romania underscored NATO’s eastern and northern flanks as a new strategic center of gravity. Leaders from Central‑Eastern Europe, the Nordics, NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte and Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy called for stronger air...
FCC Expands Conditional Drone Approvals Under Covered List
The Federal Communications Commission’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau granted conditional approvals to drone systems from Swiss‑based Elevon Aerial AG and German‑based Air6 Systems GmbH. The approvals, which run through the end of 2026, come despite the FCC’s broader...
Contractor’s Public GitHub Account Exposed GovCloud and CISA Credentials
An unsecured personal GitHub repository, labeled “Private‑CISA,” publicly exposed AWS GovCloud credentials, GitHub tokens, and internal CISA documentation. The repo, created by a contractor and live since November 2025, contained 844 MB of Kubernetes configs, scripts, and plain‑text passwords before being taken...
Ukraine’s Experience Can Teach Europe How to Defend Against Russia
Ukraine’s wartime adoption of drones, a dedicated Unmanned Systems Forces command, and a data‑centric combat ecosystem has turned its armed forces into a defense‑tech powerhouse. The article details the Army of Drones bonus program, the DELTA combat platform, and the...
Will Mythos Change the Cybersecurity Landscape for Better or for Worse?
The episode explores Anthropic's new AI model, Mythos, a specialized tool designed to automatically discover software vulnerabilities across major operating systems. RAINN cyber analyst Ali Pluchinski explains how early adopters like Amazon, Cisco, and major banks are using it to...
Programmable Metasurface Enables Passive Radar to Track Drones without Transmitting
A programmable metasurface now stamps temporal codes onto ambient radio waves, turning passive radar into an active‑like sensor without emitting its own signal. The metasurface‑enabled passive radar (MEPR) uses a 32 × 24 array of PIN‑diode elements that switch at 2.5 µs intervals,...
UAE, France Renew Defense Pact After Rafale Jets Controversy
The United Arab Emirates and France signed a renewed defense cooperation agreement in Toulouse, reaffirming a partnership that dates back to a 1995 mutual defense pact. The renewal follows a $19 billion deal that delivered 80 Rafale fighter jets to the...
NATO Mulls Hormuz Mission Amid Prolonged Strait Crisis
NATO Weighing Hormuz Mission If Strait Crisis Drags Into Summer. They may have no choice but to try to fix Trump’s mess in the Strait. What will Iran do? https://t.co/LoxTZvQkxj
Applied Aeronautics Introduces SkyBeam Heavy Lift Quadrotor Platform
Applied Aeronautics unveiled SkyBeam, a modular heavy‑lift quadrotor built in the United States for defense, public safety and commercial missions. The UAV delivers over 60 minutes of endurance and can carry up to 14 lb of payload through a swappable rail...
New Turkish ICBM Signals Nuclear Deterrence Ambitions Beyond NATO
Turkey displayed a mock‑up of the Yildirimhan intercontinental ballistic missile at the SAHA 2026 defense expo, touting an 18‑meter, 6,000 km range system capable of delivering a 3‑ton warhead at Mach 25. Officials emphasized the missile as a milestone in Ankara’s quest for...
Air Force Pauses All T-38 Trainer Flights, a Week After Alabama Crash
The U.S. Air Force announced a fleet‑wide pause on all T‑38 Talon trainer flights on May 19, a week after a routine training mission over Alabama ended in an ejection. The grounding applies to units across multiple commands and follows...
Counter‑drone System Limited to Southern Border, Not DC
.@FAANews administrator says counter-drone system is only being used along southern border and is not being used at Ft McNair in DC https://t.co/AxKJKAxZpe
Caseway and Valtec Take Detection-to-Decision Capability to Canada’s NATO Pipeline
Caseway and Valtec have partnered to deliver a detection‑to‑decision pipeline that fuses Valtec’s compact GNSS‑resilient drones with Caseway’s audit‑ready decision layer. The joint solution provides platoon commanders a single, provenance‑tracked 10‑figure MGRS target on an ATAK device, eliminating the need...
U.S. Space Force Awards Northrop Grumman $398 Million Contract for Jam‑resistant SATCOM Prototype
The U.S. Space Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $398 million contract to develop an Enhanced Protected Tactical SATCOM‑Prototype (Enhanced PTS‑P). The prototype will feature advanced anti‑jamming antennas and on‑orbit data processing, with a launch window set for fiscal year 2030. The...